Hanoi (VNA) - The Hanoi People’s Court on December 6 opened proceedings in
the case of ex-deputy director of the city’s Department of Agriculture and
Rural Development, Pham Minh Nguyet, and five others accused of violations in
economic management.

Nguyet and Nguyen Thi Huyen Hao, former chief accountant of
the Hanoi Investment and Development Ltd Company (HADICO); Do Van Hao, ex-general
director of HADICO; Dang Thi Thanh Tam, former director of the Tu Liem Tourism
and Fruit Enterprise; Duong Thi Chinh, former accountant of the Tu Liem Tourism
and Fruit Enterprise; and Nguyen Trong Hung, former director of the Bac Ha
enterprise under the HADICO, were accused of property embezzlement, abusing
their position while performing their duties and deliberately violating State
rules in economic management resulting in losses of more than 40 billion VND (1.8
million USD).

Among the six accused, Nguyet and Huyen Hao may face the
highest penalties including the death sentences if found guilty of property
embezzlement and abusing their position, while the four others were charged for
wrongdoings during performing their duties including abusing their position and
financial management.

The hearing is scheduled to take place from December 6-8. Nine
lawyers are defending the accused.

According to the indictment, from late 2009 to 2014, Nguyet
ordered Huyen Hao and other subordinate officials under his power including
directors of member enterprises to set up false documents to withdraw money
from HADICO’s production and market stablising funds. The money was supposedly
delivered to him.

The total amount of money withdrawn from the company to
transfer to Nguyet exceeded 40 billion VND by 2014.

To hide the fraud, Nguyet allegedly instructed his
subordinates to sign a bank loan contract worth 19 billion VND so he could pay
the money back to the HADICO and then used his own money to refund nearly 26
billion VND to the company.

The procuracy accused Nguyet of embezzling nearly 15 billion
VND from HADICO, which his family has completely compensated.

HADICO still lost more than 1.8 billion VND, mostly interest
arising from the bank’s 19 billion VND loans, according to the indictment.-VNA